Crimson Tide's DePriest out with broken foot

Alabama linebacker Trey DePriest rode a stationary bike at practice Wednesday. He had surgery this week for a stress fracture in his right foot.

Dusty Compton | Tuscaloosa News

By Chase GoodbreadSports Writer

Published: Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at 11:48 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | Trey DePriest will miss the remainder of spring practice after undergoing surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot, leaving the University of Alabama’s returning starter at middle linebacker to look toward fall camp before he can retake the field for the Crimson Tide.

UA coach Nick Saban said DePriest aggravated the injury in Saturday’s scrimmage. He was withheld from contact for Monday’s practice, and subsequently had surgery.

“He might have hurt it a little worse in the scrimmage, so rather than trying to get him to continue going through the spring, which was a possibility, we just decided to go ahead and fix it before it got bad,” Saban said. “It’s just a stress fracture, which will take less time to heal, and he’ll have a better chance of a good recovery.”

On Wednesday, DePriest was on a stationary bike at practice along with two other players unavailable for the spring — receiver Kevin Norwood and cornerback John Fulton.

Without DePriest, UA had only three scholarship inside linebackers available in the spring — C.J. Mosley, Reggie Ragland and Tana Patrick — so the staff has moved two younger outside linebackers inside to help with depth.

“We were a little short at inside backer without Trey. We wanted to take one of those guys and develop them as an inside backer, so what we decided to do was in regular (packages) Ryan Anderson is playing inside backer, and in nickel Dillon Lee is playing nickel backer,” Saban said.

Saban said Anderson and Lee, both redshirt freshmen, have had strong springs.

Lacy to run

Former UA running back Eddie Lacy will finally work out for NFL scouts this morning at UA’s indoor practice facility. He tore his hamstring partially in a mock combine while preparing for February’s NFL Scouting Combine, making him unavailable to run at the combine or at Alabama’s Pro Day last month.

“If he’s healthy tomorrow, he’ll run fast. He’s faster than you think. He has very deceptive speed, very deceptive quickness,” Saban said. “For three or four years around here, I’ve been watching Eddie Lacy — who everybody thinks is a little (too) straight-line as a runner and can’t make people miss — make people miss in the hole, with his sudden quickness and great change of direction.”

Several other UA players are expected to perform in various drills, including defensive end Damion Square, who also has been limited in the offseason because of injury.

Super Cooper

Receiver Amari Cooper didn’t exactly say he planned to leave Alabama a year early Wednesday, but after posting a 1,000-yard season as a freshman, he did indicate a three-and-out mindset when asked about the importance of keeping a level head in the face of so much success early in his career.

“You don’t want to get a big head after just one big season. I have two more years here,” Cooper said.

“At least,” he added, after UA media relations reminded him he is eligible for 2015.

Quotable

“He’s a very vocal leader. Him and C.J. Mosley, they get on you when they have to, they let us have it when we need it.” — receiver Kenny Bell on quarterback AJ McCarron

Tidebits

Alabama’s coaching clinic for high school coaches is this weekend. It annually draws more than 1,000 prep coaches from around the country to learn from Saban’s staff and a cast of speakers. This year’s speakers include former NFL coach Dick Vermeil and former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards. ... Reserve nose guard Wilson Love was absent from Wednesday’s practice because of a concussion and will be unavailable, Saban said, until his “concussion score” improves. ... Third-year sophomore Dee Hart practiced at running back Wednesday. After spending the first half of spring at cornerback, he has returned to his former position.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0196.

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